My brother-in-law was surprised that, being an Islay lover, I had never tried Bowmore 12. The reason for that is that Bowmore 12 is an 80 proof 12-year Scotch that goes for $67.99 in my neck of the woods. Ardbeg 10 and Laphroaig 10 are both now $64.99, but for years, they were both closer to $50, so why would I spent almost $20 more for a lower-proof Islay? And truth be told, now that I’ve tasted Bowmore, they’re both far superior to this. Not that Bowmore is a bad experience. It’s quiet lovely. I picked it up on clearance for $42.39, which made it even lovelier. Really, this is the kind of Islay you might use to convert a non-Islay drinker. Lacking Laphroaig’s medicinal qualities or Ardbeg’s tar, this is delicate in the presence of its peat. Not so delicate as something like Jura 10, but delicate nonetheless. The aroma reminds me of Lapsang Tea, which is a smoky tea, with a bit of vanilla in the mix and a faint whiff of lemon. The palate continues in the same vein with the peat coming through a bit stronger but only a bit. There’s a bit of honey mixed in, so the Lapsang tea experience continues, and during the finish, the vanilla and lemon flavors come on strong, but the finish overall, is relatively short. It doesn’t linger the way Laphroaig or Ardbeg do. And this is certainly no Bruichladdich. Overall, not really worth $67.99 a bottle so I’m unlikely to purchase this again, but I’m glad I’ve had it. I’d be interested in trying a higher proof older aged Bowmore, as I understand they have a good reputation. For now, the 80 proof serves a purpose. The reason I’m opening this tonight is the Eagles-Dolphins game is starting at 8:20 pm, which means it’ll be over about 11 pm and I have to work tomorrow, and on night such as these, when my dad and I are settling in to watch some football that’s going that late, I’ll thank myself for sticking to the 80 proof whiskies tomorrow morning. Speaking of which, my dad brought over the Jura 10, which is half the price of this, not an Islay, but lightly peated nonetheless, so it’ll be an interesting comparison, but for now, I’m going to close this up without my notes on the Jura. For now, the Bowmore 12 is enough.